Pastor Tim Stephens exonerated from public health infractions

Crown prosecutors have withdrawn public health order charges against Pastor Tim Stephens and the Fairview Baptist Church after breaches of public health orders were issued by Calgary police.

Pastor Stephens was charged in early 2021 for allegedly violating public health orders, including social distancing, masking and gathering restrictions while holding service at his church.

EXCLUSIVE: Pastor Tim Stephens first interview following release from jail

FULL REPORT from @ATSoos: https://t.co/WeCWbMuYoU pic.twitter.com/dSdeQHwN1g

— Rebel News (@RebelNewsOnline) July 16, 2021

He was arrested on two separate occasions, which is said by his legal team to have been based on the “pretext of an irrelevant and over-broad restraining order” issued by Alberta Chief Justice John Rooke.

Grey: "by operation of law" Mr Stephens is exempt by the May 6th order was amended by associate Chief Justice John Rooke. "We can't have him bound by that order"... "it would be improper in law to have Pastor Stephens do that"

— Sheila Gunn Reid (@SheilaGunnReid) May 18, 2021

The exoneration of the Canadian pastor came yesterday and was detailed in a news release issued by the Justice Centre for Constitutional Freedoms, which represents Pastor Stephens at no cost to him.

The Justice Centre is pleased to share that charges against Pastor Stephens' Fairview Baptist Church have been officially withdrawn by Crown prosecutors today. @tim__stephens pic.twitter.com/C9SH7BaVoN

— Justice Centre for Constitutional Freedoms (@JCCFCanada) August 29, 2023

“On May 16, 2021, the Calgary Police arrested Pastor Stephens at Fairview Baptist Church on the pretext of an irrelevant and over-broad restraining order. Pastor Stephens spent 18 days in jail but was released when provincial gathering restrictions were removed on July 1, 2021. Soon thereafter, four of the six charges laid against him were dropped by the Crown,” the press release reads.

The withdrawal of charges follows the Ingram v. Alberta decision, wherein it was discovered that public health orders issued in the province of Alberta were invalid because they were instituted by the Alberta cabinet, not a chief medical officer of health, as is required by the Public Health Act.

The Justice Centre is pleased with the Court of King’s Bench decision to invalidate the public health orders of CMHO Dr. Deena Hinshaw in Ingram v. Alberta. The court struck down lockdown measures saying they were issued by Cabinet rather than the CMOH. https://t.co/kkLTbtsZYm pic.twitter.com/d9RTEfKZjv

— Justice Centre for Constitutional Freedoms (@JCCFCanada) August 1, 2023

Justice Centre president John Carpay says the organization was pleased to represent Pastor Stephens and “many other courageous citizens who appropriately exercised their Charter rights and freedoms even when these were being unjustifiably violated by governments, from March of 2020 onwards.”